Oil pulling vs Toothbrushes – What Your Knoxville Dentist Thinks

Oil pulling is something that a few patients have asked about while in our dental office. You’ve may have seen oil pulling on Facebook and wondered what it’s all about. Many proponents of oil pulling claim that it enhances oral health, whitens your teeth, and improves the overall oral health. That sounds great doesn’t it, so let’s figure out why all the dentists in Knoxville aren’t sending their patients home with coconut oil.

What is oil pulling?

Essentially, you are swishing a mouthful of oil around for about twenty to thirty minutes. IF you make it that long without your mouth fatiguing, you then spit it out. The word pulling refers to the idea that the oil pulls bad bacteria off your teeth and gums.

Should you pull?

The product is claimed to have anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial benefits. Other health benefits include pulling toxins from your body and helping to stop headaches.Hey, us dentists like that! We’ve talked to some other Knoxville dentists no one has seen concrete evidence that oil pulling is better than more traditional oral hygiene methods. Lets just say that oil pulling is just as beneficial as regular brushing, would you really rather swish for 20 minutes when you can brush for 2? But hey this is America, if you want to oil pull then our dental office isn’t stopping you.

Basic intro to coconut oil pulling:

Step 1: Put 1-2 teaspoons of coconut oil in your mouth

Step 2: Swish for 20 minutes. The coconut oil will get thicker the longer you swish.

Step 3: Spit oil into a trashcan instead the sink, otherwise you may be looking for a plumber.

Step 4: Rinse well with warm water. If you still have the taste in your mouth, you can rinse with warm salt water. Some people use peppermint essential oil to add that familiar fresh breath feel.

While some people have found a lot of success with coconut oil pulling, it’s definitely not for everyone. Several of our dental patients in Knoxville have tried oil pulling and report that it is just too much work. Oil pulling is definitely a fringe method of oral hygiene but this dental office isn’t going to write it off. If you’ve had an itch to give oil pulling a try we say go for it! Just make sure you see a dentist for your 6 month cleaning, in case a cavity or two develop!